My child is one of the thousands of patients who depend on Anchor Medical Associates for their primary care needs. With the closure of this healthcare facility, we find ourselves at the depths of a health crisis that extends far beyond our personal circumstances.

Should Anchor Medical Associates close their doors, 25,000 patients are set to lose their primary care provider. This isn't just an inconvenience, it's a potential catastrophe that will have detrimental repercussions on our community's healthcare environment. The absence of this primary care institution could result in a significant increase in emergency room visits. These visits would consist of patients in need of basic care, thus stretching emergency resources thin and detracting from patients who urgently need lifesaving assistance. According to the Massachusetts Medical Society, patients without primary care visits are twice as likely to utilize emergency rooms for non-emergency situations (MMS, 2012).

Furthermore, with the disturbances in routine and chronic illness management, we also face the reality of increased indirect costs as a result of neglecting preventative measures. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, chronic diseases that are avoidable through preventative care services account for 75% of the nation’s healthcare spending (CDC, 2020).

This isn't just about statistics - this is about real people, families like mine, who will be personally and adversely affected. It's about maintaining the quality of health in our community, about accessibility, about thriving instead of merely surviving.The state of Rhode Island and the insurance companies need to up the reimbursement rates immediately!! Please support us in our fight to keep Anchor Medical Associates open - because everyone deserves access to primary healthcare. Sign the petition today. You do not have to donate just please share!